The monster storm Hurricane Sandy continues to bear down on the economy weeks after it initially wiped out much of the upper East Coast, destroying nearly everything in its path including retail and consumer goods distribution services and material goods transport companies. Though these types of natural events are nothing new for the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, all businesses and consumers suffer even more than they need to when they rely upon distributors who have centralized their operations in areas known for their devastating natural disasters.
According to Larry Thompson, chief executive officer of Distribution Services, a major warehousing and distribution company with facilities in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, businesses and companies that rely on getting their products securely to market often are crippled when disasters such as hurricanes Sandy and Katrina devastate the local infrastructure.
“Warehouses and distribution services located in areas often affected by natural phenomenon may be able to conveniently service their populations during low-risk times, but when a crisis or natural disaster strikes, their clients that rely on them for getting their products to market are often hamstrung because of the disaster,” Thompson said. “Even distributors not serving an affect area may be in trouble because they themselves are unable to get their clients products out of a certain area and to the rest of the country because of a disaster.”
Thompson’s company, for example, Distribution Services, is centrally located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Not traditionally known as in the path of natural disaster, Thompson said he is able to service all areas of the United States at all times because of the location of his company. Establishing a presence in an area where there is little worry of nature’s influence ensures that there is little to no downtime for his customers, Thompson said, and if an area of the country is affected, Distribution Services is still able to meet its clients needs in every other area of the country.
“Because Distribution Services is located in the heart of the United States, we are perfectly positioned to service our clients promptly and our transportation costs are some of the lowest in the country,” said Thompson. “Unfortunately, Sandy continues to wreak havoc on the upper East Coast, but even when the infrastructure has been restored, there are several warehouses and distribution facilities there whose operations have ground to a halt because of the storm. For us, that’s just not a problem, given our location in the U.S.”
Distribution Services provides economical shipping of products to anywhere in the country, especially since it is conveniently located at the intersection of interstates 40 and 44,
The variety of services Distribution Services offers include:
- Order fulfillment and just-in-time delivery
- Light assembly
- Packaging, repackaging, and labeling
- Transportation
- Quality inspection
- Freight forwarding
- Crossdocking
- Kitting
- Inventory control
Distribution Services also is able to leverage its Foreign Trade Zone #106 status to pass along savings to its customers through reduced customs delays, duty elimination/deferral and the ability to hold merchandise subject to quotas until these goods are ready for shipment. This status also allows U.S. manufactured orders sold domestically to be broken down for pick-and-pack “sets” maximizing the duty rate paid.
“It is also important to find a centrally located warehousing and distribution company. The physical location of the warehouse and it’s proximity to major highways can be a crucial factor in their efficiency,” he said. “Distribution Services is not only centrally located for the United States, but also for all of North America, making us an excellent choice for your warehousing and distribution needs.”
To learn more about Distribution Services, visit www.distributionservicesok.com, or call 877-893-2266.
About Distribution Services
Distribution Services is a locally owned product fulfillment warehouse that provides comprehensive distribution solutions to a variety of customers in the wood, adhesives, rubber and steel industries, as well as retail and consumer product verticals. From start to finish, Distribution Services offers efficient and cost-effective services that are customizable to its client’s needs and budget. Distribution Services is able to receive raw materials or finished goods and provide business order fulfillment to customers on time, every time.